Power take-off through tractor steering column



May 7, 1946. I c. R. HAGEN 73 ROUGH TRACTOR STEERING COLUMN POWERTAKE-OFF mu 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 File d March 19 1945 May 7, 1946. Y c. R.HAGEN POWER TAKE-OFF THROU Filed March 19, 1945 GB TRACTOR STEERINGCOLUMN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 tained by means of a steering of the crankPatented May 7, 1946 UNITED srara rowan ran STEERING COLUMN nee NewJersey R. Hagen. Chica o, national Harvester Company,

moueam on 111., assignor to 1 tel-,- a corporation of Application March19,1945, Serial No. 533,531

, 6 Claims.

This invention concerns a power take-oflifrom shaft proj shaft intointersecting relationshipwith the axis of a steering shaft or column anda bridge or oversize opening structure within said steering shaft toaccommodate the projection of" the power take-oil shaft therein. i

In certain typ s of tricycle in the front of the pivotal steering truck,

type tractors whereis supported upon a ing a vertical" shaft or c callyupwardly from the truck. H i i i that this vertical steering columnorshaft shall be within a vertical plane which is also coincident withthe rotational axis of the engine crank shaft so th t the symmetry ofthe structure will obtain. I i i In. tractcrsof this character, aproblem has existed in connection with obtaining power from a pulley orthe like driven the crank t. Insuflicient room for a power take-offpulley has been available between the front end of the crank shaft andtheengine radiator, and until the present invention, so far as thisapplicant is aware, arrangement wherein projected coaxially forwardlyfrom the front end shaft past the vertical steering shaft which pivotsabout an axis intersecting the forecting axis of the crankshaft. The ectof this invention is the provision as that just referred to whereby aconvenientl accessible power take-off pulley or the like may be madeavailable on the front end of the vehicle.

Referring now to thedrawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of atractor with parts of its body broken away near the front or right endto illustrate the installation of a preferredform of the inventionthereon; Fig. 2 is a horizontal view looking indicated by the linedownwardly 2-2 in Fig, 1

steerins and the plane indicated'by the line 1-4 Fig. '4 is asideelevational larged end portion man: and Hg. 5 is a the forward tractorThe end of itsbody ll,comprlsin8 an engine "Jul tractor and relatesParticularly of the truck is obfrom the front end of no one has devisedan the power take-oi! shaft is,

; 45 operates of the steering shaft or colperspectiveview of the lowerend of the steering shaft ported upon a steering truck ll. This steeringtruck comprises a pedestal-or shank ll disposed between a pair ofclosely axially spaced rubber tired wheels Iljournaled upon spindles itprojecting oppositely from the lower end of 'said shank; i i i v Thesteering truck shank ll is arranged coaxially with a vertical steeringshaft l1 and constrained from rotation therewith. Shaft l1 proic jectsupwardly through a hollow bracket I! and carries a gearynot shown, atits upper end within a housing It. Said-gear on the upper end of theshaft l1 meshes with; and is driven by a worm pinion, not shown, on thefront end of a shaft 2 I, which through a universal joint 22 isrotatable by a steering wheel shaft 23.

Bracket II is cast which forms a front end portion 0 body andisconnected to the so projecting along the sides of the engine. Theupper portion of the bracket is that contains the vertical steeringshaft I1 is joined to the base 24 .by a pair of downwardly diverginghollow legs it and 21; see Fig. 2. Bracket ll is enclosed by 25 thefront end of the engine hood 2! 1 and is immediately ahead of theradiator 29 of the engine cooling system.

A large opening II in the lower side of the hollow casting is recessedat 32 for receiving the cuter race of a ball bearing unit 33. Saidouterainst a shoulder g H which is 4 35. \An enlarged up- 3 per endportion ofthe truck shank ll comprises 35 a ilangell and upon thisflange thererests a rectangular plate 31 having a rearwardly projectin tail portion38. superposed on the plate 31 is a circular plate I! having a reduceddiameter portion Ii projecting partly into the inner race of -4 the ballbearing unit 33. A flange 42 on the outer plate cooperates thereof ringll for the bearing with a ring 43 on said reduce in retainin unit 33 inplace. I i with the flange l2 and the ring 43 in confining the sealingring N and in establishing a dirt-proof seal for the lower end ofthebearing unit. The ring I! is compressed between a portion of theplate ll and the lower end of the bearing unit inner race for supportingthe front end of the tractor. Supporting .force for the tractor istransmitted from the inner race through the balls of the hearing unit tothe outer race and thencev ontotheseat it formed in thehollow I castingll.

An enlarged lower end portion for the vertical steering column or shaftl1 comprises a cylindrical portion 45 and of the shaft l1 and the upperend of the bearing unit inner race.

ceiving the shanks of cap screws SI. for said cap screws in the enlargedlower end of the shaft II are threaded so that when said cap screws areturned into these threaded holes, the

for rotation in unison.

An opening 52 is formed in the enlarged lower end portion of the shaftII for receiving a power take-off shaft 5 Opening 52 is a relativelynarrow bridge 54 superposed on and 56 of with concave faces 51, i8, 59,and BI directed radially of the structure to provide adequate clearancefor the power take-ofl' shaft I when the structure is pivoted pivotalsteering movement with the power take-on shaft.

Holes 62,153, and 64, Fig. 3, are provided in the casting 2! toaccommodate the power take-on formed within said crank shaft, and ajecting forwardly from said clearance bridge.

3, In a tractor, a body including an engine with extending crank shaft,

power take-oi! shaft prosaid crank shaft through pivoting of thesteering structure and of the truck without interference by said shaft.

to larged end portions, a power take-oii'shaft projecting from the crankshaft diametrically across -a,soo,rsa a t 3 steering pivoting of saidstructure and of said portions iorcauslng them and the inner race attruck without interference by said power takesaid hearing unit to rotatein unison. a power\ off shaft. take-oi! shaft projecting irom the crankshaft 6. In a tractor, a body including an engine with diametricallyacross and above said bearing unit, a fore and aft extending crankshalt. a steering I the lower end portion of said steering structuretruck hearing unit mounted on said bodyiorshaft having an openingreceiving said power wardiy of said crank shaft and with its axis in antake-oi! shaft and oversize with respect thereto to upright position,said bearing unit including an facilitate steering pivoting or saidstructure and outer race secured to said body and a freely rotatof saidtruck, stop means on said body and spaced able inner race, a steeringtruck having a shank l0 circumferentially or the truck shank, and meansarranged coaxially with said bearing unit and rotatable with said truckshankioralternative projecting downwardly therefrom, said shankengagement with said stop means to limit pivoting having an eniarged endportion at its upper end, of the truck to prevent abutment o! thematerial a steering structure comprising a shaft project at the sides ofsaid opening with the power takeing upwardly from said bearing unitcoaxiaily 1g oi! shaft. therewith and having an enlarged lower end por-CLARENCE R. HAGEN. tion, means interconnecting said enlarged end

